Tripping Over Typeset

During the last 3 ½ weeks, I hosted a fun women’s event, traveled out of the country, walked with 4 different families through the going home of loved ones and had my in-laws visit for a week.

Life sometimes fills up — not because of our own scheduling but from events that can’t be scheduled. The ministry of ‘walking with’ can wear on our souls, minds, and bodies.

Thankfully our lives are not in a constant state of keeping this kind of schedule. It’s simply a season lasting a few days, a few weeks or sometimes a few months. But remembering it’s a season is a good first step in making it through.

During these times, our perspective can become skewed and energy levels can deplete quickly. We can become ‘people-drained’ and we need to find balance to cope well.

 6 ways to get through stressful days –

• Stay committed to time alone with God – The demands of the day can overcrowd our schedules. We must guard the time we feed our own souls. Our first instinct can be grabbing our phone and checking what has happened while we were sleeping. However, we can get lost in news feeds and email inboxes with mind overload before our day even begins. So before checking email, social media or news feeds, plug-in time with God’s Word. His Word prepares and equips us for the day ahead.
• Minimize stress where you can
  • Plan easy meal times – During these crazy last couple of weeks, we switched to paper plates for meal time. It was easy clean up and reduced the running of the dishwasher to once every other day instead of every day loading and unloading. Every little bit counts… and remember it’s just a season. Now that our world is little calmer we’re back to our regular scheduled meals and everyday dishes but in heavy stress and schedule overload easy meal times lighten the load.
  • Say “no” to extra activities – Give yourself a break from extra invitations or commitments during this season.

• Shut screen time off an hour before bed – Studies show the stimulation of screen time effects sleep and disturbs our rest.  This keeps us from falling asleep. We need restful sleep to cope with our days. Make a determination to give your mind rest from input before you reach bedtime.
• Read an easy, life-giving book – During stressful times, our minds can become overloaded with information and decisions that have to be made. Give yourself and your mind a break from the situation that is causing fatigue. Find an easy read, let your mind escape.  Relax even if it’s just for 15 minutes.
• Get outside – This is a big one for me. Fresh air and nature have a way of grounding me again and bringing a sense of calm. Years ago when my mother was in the hospital, stress and emotions were high with fatigue close by. I passed a park on the way to the hospital one morning, spotted the swings and knew I needed a break. That small time of 10 minutes pumping away on the swings cleared my head of heavy thoughts and helped prepare me for another day of sitting by her bedside. Just a simple walk, sitting on a park bench or even eating lunch outside can bring refreshment to your mind, body and soul.

• Drink water and stay hydrated – When we are stressed or on the go with a hectic schedule we tend to grab quick drinks like soda or coffee to keep us going but that actually hinders more than helps us. They are temporary fixes but not good solutions for rehydrating. When we are not drinking well and staying hydrated, our bodies are not functioning as well as they should be. This causes more fatigue and increases stress because we’re not feeling our best. It’s a crazy cycle and one that can be slowed down if we drink water and stay hydrated.

Seasons of busyness, fatigue and ministry overload can wipe us out quickly. Working these 6 steps into our daily routine can help us get through busy times with more energy, a clearer mind and better focus.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Jump into the conversation:  How do you get through stressful days?